Definition
A set of three colored lights required on every aircraft operating between sunset and sunrise: a red light on the left wingtip, a green light on the right wingtip, and a white light at the tail. Their fixed color and placement allow other pilots to determine an aircraft's orientation and direction of travel at night.
Plain English
Red, green, and white lights on an aircraft that show other pilots which way it is pointing and which direction it is moving when it is dark outside.
Context Anchor
Seen on the exterior lights switch and in engine-start, taxi, and night-operation checklist items.
Derivation
Position' here means location and orientation in space — the lights show the aircraft's position relative to the viewer. 'Navigation' is used because these lights help other pilots navigate safely around the aircraft, not because they help the pilot navigate.
Why Pilots Care
Required for night operations to prevent mid-air collisions by allowing other pilots to see the airplane's position and direction.
Intuition Check
“Position” does not mean GPS position here; it means the airplane’s visible location and direction. “Navigation lights” do not help the pilot navigate; they help other people see and interpret the airplane’s movement.
Example Sentence 1
Before starting the engine at dusk, the pilot turned on the position lights to alert anyone near the aircraft.
Example Sentence 2
The tower asked the pilot to verify the navigation lights were illuminated for the night departure.